Rethinking the Holidays: Smart Choices to Cut Waste
Did you know? The average U.S. household generates 25% more waste between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. This adds up to roughly one million extra tons of trash in landfills and incinerators every week across America.
From plastic bows, ribbons, wrapping paper, bags, and packaging, to uneaten leftovers, a lot of holiday waste can be entirely avoided by making some simple sustainable swaps that are good for our planet’s natural resources, and possibly your wallet too.
If you’re still planning that party, throwing up last-minute decorations, filling up stockings, or getting ready to wrap gifts, read on for some sustainable holiday tips and tricks.
Gift Experiences
Whether it’s tickets to a concert, a gift card to a spa or restaurant, a subscription to a streaming service, or an annual membership to a park, gifting memories over materials can be fun, last longer, and encourage a mindset of waste reduction overall.
Buy Recycled or Upcycled
Did you know? Participating in recycling is important – but it’s only one way to keep recycling systems going. Buying gifts made from post-consumer recycled or upcycled materials is another great way to do your part. From clothing or accessories made from recovered fibers, notebooks made from recycled paper, to jewelry made from reclaimed wood or electronic waste, the opportunities are endless.
A great place to find local, recycled gifts is at craft fairs, on Etsy.com, or even browsing marketplaces on social media. Supporting small local artisans is good for the planet too!
Make Your Own Decorations
Too cold outside? Bring the outdoors inside by using fresh greenery, berries, pinecones, or other natural materials to make festive decorations like wreaths, garlands, or ornaments. Check out these links for some inspiration:
Alternatively, opportunities to upcycle everyday household items into décor are free, fun, and endless. Got coffee pods, bottle caps, toilet paper tubes, fabric scraps, or buttons? Gather your friends or family for a night of projects and decorating.
Plan Ahead for the Holiday Meals
Hosting lots of guests? Invite them to bring their own takeaway container to pack leftover food in. Before grocery shopping, make a list and know your head count. Consider buying “ugly” produce and opt for loose ingredients over packaged ones. When setting the spread, consider going for buffet style and using reusable napkins and food ware. After the meal, freeze your leftovers or get creative when making new meals.
For more information, and inspiration, check out these links:
Opt for Sustainable Gift Wrap and Tags
When the time comes to wrap gifts, consider using newspapers or magazines, old maps, scarves, or even dish towels. Fabric scraps, old holiday cards, or cardboard pieces from packaging can also be used to make gift tags. Using reclaimed materials can make wrapping fun, festive, and add a personal touch to gift giving while reducing a tremendous amount of waste. It’s estimated that roughly 4.6 million pounds of wrapping paper are produced annually, with about 2.3 million tons ending up in landfills. Glittery, metallic, and plastic wrapping papers are not recyclable.
Thanks for doing your part to reduce waste this holiday season! For questions or more info, reach out to info@ecomaine.org.
